Sri Lanka is on track to achieve an all time record target of US$ 17.2 billion in total exports for 2018, said Ministry of Development Strategies and International Trade, Malik Samarawickrama.
“Last year was a record year for exports, achieving US$ 15.15 billion in merchandise and services exports,” the Minister said. He was speaking at the Presidential Export Awards at the BMICH on Tuesday.
“This shows that our exports have increased by 50% over the past three years. However Sri Lanka should not be satisfied with this as other countries are exporting 10 to15 times more.”
“Singapore’s exports are US$ 480 billion, Taiwan US$ 340 billion , Thailand US$ 254 billion , and Vietnam US$ 250 billion . I was in Vietnam last week, and observed that Vietnam is one of the few countries in the world where the export value is higher than the country’s GDP,” he added.
“Being more and more export-oriented, through private sector friendly economic policies and strategies to boost competitiveness, is the only way for Sri Lanka. And our government is committed to pursuing this policy path, anchored to the ‘Vision 2025’.”
He said that the government is taking several meaningful steps to safeguard local businessmen.
“For the first time, we introduced an anti-dumping law to protect our domestic industries from unfair competition from abroad. For 15 years previous regimes had been struggling to get this Act passed in Parliament.”
0 comments: